A 13 year review of patients diagnosed to have Ludwig's angina admitted to the Christian Medical College and Hospital, Vellore, India, between March 1982 and April 1995 is presented. The patients were either admitted to the ENT or paediatric surgical units. There were 41 patients, 24% being children and 76% adults. The clinical profile and outcome of these two groups were compared. In the paediatric group, none had dental caries while in the adult group, 52% had associated dental caries. In children, 70% were controlled with conservative medical management unlike the adults of whom 81% needed incision and drainage. Tracheostomy was necessary in 10% of the children and in 52% of the adults. The mortality was 10% in both groups.

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Unilateral lung hypoplasia or agenesis can be asymptomatic or present with recurrent respiratory symptoms. The latter may be amenable to surgical treatment in selected cases. Of four children in this report, two are being managed without surgery. A third was relieved of his symptoms by pneumonectomy. The fourth presented with acute foreign-body inhalation into the healthy right main bronchus, and coexistent left pulmonary agenesis was discovered at bronchoscopy. Bronchoscopy and computed tomography were found to be the most useful investigations in management.

MR cholangiography can be used to confirm the diagnosis of choledochal cysts and define the extent of involvement preoperatively. The pancreatobiliary junction, however, is difficult to visualize. Non-biliary cysts such as a hydatid cyst can mimic a choledochal cyst on the MR cholangiogram and should be correlated with the MR cross-sectional images to avoid misinterpretation.